I have had a small item for years and if you look at it under a magnifying glass you can see what looks like polyps or something in abundance. Trying to find out what these are. Cheers in advance for any advice.

Hello Jenny and welcome to the forum. Where was this found please, as accurately as possible so we can check out the geology / age? Can you also include a scale (a ruler is best) in all photos?On a first quick look it looks like an ironstone concretion of some kind - is it heavy for its size?__________________Colin Huller

Thank you for the warm welcome Colin and the info. The item is a figure that has been in the family awhile and eager to learn what it is made of. I’m just really interested in the small round polyps creature type things that had grown under the belly of the sculpture. So tiny and hard to get a good photo. The item is not particularly heavy, but is cold to the touch. The bottom of yellow tape measure is in MM. once again thank you

Could you post an image of the whole object ? My first reaction is the same as Colin's, it appears to be some iron mineral encrustation.Even if you don't know the precise place of finding, knowledge of the general area would help.

Many thank for your reply and interest. It just a little figure not a raw fossil. I’m sure it’s a carving of some hard milky white stone. From what little information I can gather it’s an Asian figure. Forgive me all new to this, but have been just trying to find out for a while what the small little growth things are. You wouldn’t see them with the naked eye. There are also the odd little minute little polyp in other places on the stone. Just hoping to put a name to them any why are they there.

Ahh, this clarifies. I might be mistaken but I think what you have is a Chinese resin statue, the little depressions you see are exposed air bubbles that remained after the block of resin was cast and carved. Any such imperfections would have been filled in on the polished body, but not in the blackened areas (the blackening is probably due to treatment with fire to give it an antiquated look). This would also explain the light weight, a marble statue would feel heavy.

Easy to confirm, take a needle, heat the tip till red hot in a candle flame, and give the base of the statue a prick. If it is stone then nothing will happen, if resin the tip of the needle will melt its way into the material. This will in no way affect the appearance or value (which is just sentimental anyway if indeed it is a resin statue), but you will be richer with the knowledge.

Once again thank you for reply. Could be right on the blacking. Did the hot pin long time ago, no melting. Just dug a tiny white hole....whoops. resin bubble? They are not bubbles unless they come in all shapes and sizes of development. That why I keep asking what is under the belly. If you zoom in on all the pictures, you will see all the different type growths. Some are like pods with dot on top, some look like they have opened or flowered Out. Like a little black coral world in there. You can see them from every angle under the belly. I believe it to be something that has fossilised on the stone. So I was really hoping someone here could possible know what it is or are. Thanks again

Its a bit of a detective thing just finding out what it’s is under the belly. It’s also been interesting joining this group. I’ve found a few sharks teeth up on the Naze in Walton where my parents live. Makes me want to look for Fossils while visiting next time :0)

Hard to tell from photos alone, but I would still go for the resin, a hot needle would not leave a mark on stone. The bubbles do come in all shapes and sizes, but some of the shapes you see could come from the tip of the carving tool used. If it turns out to be stone (marble being the most likely looking at the colour and texture) then any shapes you see on the suface must be the product of carving. Not a fossil in any case.

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